AACLC tutors have a passion for reading, writing, and/or math, a love for learning, and a desire to make a positive difference in another person’s life and in their community. Tutor Cheri Gerard, who took the March 16th spring tutor training as a refresher course and is soon to be matched with both an English Language Learner (ELL) and a math student, beautifully illustrates the passion, integrity, and talents of AACLC’s tutors.
Cheri was trained as an ELL teacher by Peace Corps in 1978 and served as an English teacher in Zaire from 1978 through 1981. Additionally, she lived in Africa for 14 years, speaks French and Kikongo, and understands the difficulties that folks experience in acclimating to a new country, culture, and language. She has also studied Swahili, Kipende, Lingala, Luganda, Russian, and Spanish!
Math has always been one of Cheri’s favorite subjects, and she enjoys making math fun for others. Cheri was a budget analyst for the federal government (9 years) and then for the State of Maryland (20 years).